Ohio attorney general warns of 'sweetheart scams'

The state's attorney general urges Ohioans to be wary of so-called "sweetheart scams" where con artists typically develop relationships with victims online before asking them for money.

Attorney General Mike DeWine says his office has received about 70 complaints of such scams since October 2011. DeWine says the highest reported loss was $210,000.

The con artist in a typical sweetheart scam meets the victim online through a dating website or social networking site and communicates through email, instant message or phone. The scammer later asks the victim to send money to help cover costs such as medical expenses.

One Butler County woman was scammed by someone posing as a soldier deployed to Afghanistan.

"He said he needed 300 dollars to make phone calls. She sent the 300 dollars, then her friend noticed that the picture that he had posted - to be him - was a picture a deceased American soldier," Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine said.

DeWine warns Ohioans not to send money to someone they meet online and to report suspected scams to his office.